Apparatus, system, and method for data management, and recording medium

Abstract

An information processing system includes one or more processors to: obtain a plurality of pieces of data; generate metadata used to combine first data of the plurality of pieces of data, with second data being one or more of the plurality of pieces of data other than the first data; assign a common identifier to the first data, the second data, and the metadata; and store, in a memory, the first data, the second data, and the metadata in association with the common identifier.

1 . An information processing system comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to
 obtain a plurality of pieces of data; 
 generate metadata used to combine first data of the plurality of pieces of data, with second data being one or more of the plurality of pieces of data other than the first data; 
 assign a common identifier to the first data, the second data, and the metadata; and 
 store, in a memory, the first data, the second data, and the metadata in association with the common identifier. 
   
     
     
         2 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein when the common identifier associated with any one of the first data, second data, and metadata stored in the memory is obtained, the processing circuitry is further configured to obtain, from the memory, any one of the first data, second data, and metadata, using the common identifier that is obtained. 
     
     
         3 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processing circuitry includes first processing circuitry and second processing circuitry that communicate with each other through a network,   wherein the first processing circuitry is configured to generate the metadata used to combine the first data and the second data, and assign the common identifier to the first data, the second data, and the metadata, and   wherein the second processing circuitry is configured to store the first data, the second data, the metadata, and the common identifier in the memory.   
     
     
         4 . The information processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein the first processing circuitry resides on an information terminal operated by a user, and the second processing circuitry resides on a server communicable with the information processing apparatus through a network, wherein the first processing circuitry is further configured to:
 obtain, as the first data, first image data from a first image capturing device that generates the first image data;   obtain, as the second data, second image data from a second image capturing device that generates the second image data; and   transmit, to the second processing circuitry, the first image data, the second image data, the metadata, and the common identifier.   
     
     
         5 . The information processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein the common identifier includes date and time information indicating a date and time when the image is captured, and location information indicating a location of the information terminal. 
     
     
         6 . A data management system, comprising:
 the information processing system according to  claim 1 ; and   a terminal device communicably connected to the processing circuitry through a network, the terminal device including:   circuitry configured to control a display to display the plurality of pieces of data obtained at the information processing system, and accept selection of the first data and the second data to be combined from among the plurality of pieces of data; and   a communication device configured to transmit information on the first data and the second data that are selected to the information processing system through the network,   the information processing system further including a communication device configured to receive the information on the first data and the second data from the terminal device, the information on the first data and the second data being used for generating the metadata.   
     
     
         7 . The data management system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the plurality of pieces of data are pieces of image data and stored in the memory of the information processing system,   the communication device of the information processing system is configured to transmit, to the terminal device, for each of the plurality of pieces of image data that are stored, a file name and a thumbnail image,   the circuitry of the terminal device is further configured to display, on the display, the file name and the thumbnail image for each of the plurality of pieces of image data, and   wherein the selection of the first image data and the second image data is made using the file name and the thumbnail image being displayed.   
     
     
         8 . The data management system according to  claim 7 , wherein, when the same second image data is to be combined with more than one first image data, the processing circuitry is further configured to associate a plurality of different common identifiers with the same second image data. 
     
     
         9 . The data management system according to  claim 6 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 generate screen data for displaying the first image data and the second image data together with the common identifier, the common identifier associating the first image data, the second image data, and the metadata; and   transmit the screen data to the terminal device, and   the circuitry of the terminal device is configured to control a display to display, based on the screen data, the first image data and the second image data together with the common identifier.   
     
     
         10 . The data management system according to  claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the screen data so as to further include a number of pieces of the first image and the second image data associated with the common identifier, and
 the circuitry of the terminal device is further configured to further display, based on the screen data, the number of pieces of the first image data and the second image data associated with the common identifier.   
     
     
         11 . The data management system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 when the information processing system receives selection of at least one piece of image data from among pieces of the first image data and the second image data, the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 obtain, from the memory, all of the pieces of first image data and second image data having the common identifier that is associated with the selected piece of first image data or second image data; and 
 generate screen data for displaying file names and thumbnail images of all of the pieces of first image data and second image data that are obtained; and 
 transmit the screen data to the terminal device, and 
   the circuitry of the terminal device is further configured to display, on the display, the file names and the thumbnail images of all of the pieces of first image data and second image data based on the screen data.   
     
     
         12 . The data management system according to  claim 11 , wherein
 when a request for downloading the first image data, the second image data, and the metadata is received from the terminal device, the processing circuitry is further configured to:   generate screen data including a data format identifier identifying a data format that is used when the first image data, the second image data, and the metadata are downloaded; and   transmit the screen data to the terminal device, and   the circuitry of the terminal device is further configured to display the data format identifier together with file names and thumbnail images of the first image data and the second image data based on the screen data, and   accept selection of the data format identifier.   
     
     
         13 . The data management system according to  claim 12 , wherein the data format identifier is used to specify one of:
 a data format in which the first image data, the second image data, and the metadata are stored in separate files and the common identifier is added to each of the files,   a data format in which the first image data, the second image data, and the metadata are stored in one file and the common identifier is added to the file,   a data format in which the first image data or the second image data for which selection is accepted at the terminal device is stored in one file and the common identifier is added to the file,   a data format in which the metadata associated with a common identifier the same as the common identifier of the first image data or the second image data for which selection is accepted at the terminal device is stored in one file and the common identifier is added to the file, and   a data format in which the first image data, the second image data, and the metadata are not included but the common identifier is stored in a file.   
     
     
         14 . The data management system according to  claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 generate download data in a data format that is specified with the data format identifier transmitted from the terminal device, the download data including at least one of the first image data, the second image data, and the metadata associated with a common identifier the same as the common identifier of the first image data or the second image data for which selection is accepted at the terminal device, and   transmit the download data to the terminal device.   
     
     
         15 . The data management system according to  claim 14 , wherein
 in response to receiving a request for the first image data or the second image data from another terminal device, the request including a specific common identifier, the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 determine whether the common identifier is stored in the memory to authenticate a user of the another terminal device, and 
 based on a determination that the common identifier is stored in the memory to indicate that authentication is successful, generate the screen data including the data format identifier and transmit the screen data to the another terminal device. 
   
     
     
         16 . The data management system according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the screen data so as to only allow selection of the data format identifier for downloading a set of the first image data, the second image data, and the metadata.   
     
     
         17 . A data management method performed by an information processing system, the data management method comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of pieces of data;   generating metadata used to combine first data of the plurality of pieces of data, with second data being one or more of the plurality of pieces of data;   assigning a common identifier to the first data, the second data, and the metadata; and   storing, in a memory, the first data, the second data, and the metadata in association with the common identifier.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program code for causing a computer system to perform a data management method, comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of pieces of data;   generating metadata used to combine first data of the plurality of pieces of data, with second data being one or more of the plurality of pieces of data;   assigning a common identifier to the first data, the second data, and the metadata; and   storing, in a memory, the first data, the second data, and the metadata in association with the common identifier.